Staff Events
To increase staff bonding, create joint goals, and boost staff morale, The Sandspur has a variety of events throughout the fall and spring semesters. Both retreats are mandatory for everyone to attend. Both parties are optional. Additional training sessions may be called at the discretion of the heads of departments or the Production Manager, Managing Editor, or Editor-in-Chief. Fall Retreat Within the first two weeks of the fall semester, the Managing Editor will run a mandatory fall retreat for all staff members. The Managing Editor should let all staff know the date of the retreat before the school year begins if possible. He or she should make sure all newly hired staff members are aware of the date as soon as they are hired. This retreat can be as short as 2-3 hours or as long as a full day. The retreat may be held in The Sandspur office, though it is suggested, if possible, to get the staff together, as a group, outside of the office for at least part of the retreat. The retreat should cover the following topics: *Icebreaker that allows all staff to introduce themselves *A review of The Sandspur’s mission statement and conversation about whether the paper is achieving that statement *Overview/Critique of past Sandspurs *Individuals can contribute their favorite thing about The Sandspur and their biggest criticism *A small group and/or large group conversation about overall goals for the paper *Small group (divided by department) meetings to determine individual department goals *Discussion of recruitment plans Additional aspects of the retreat can be added as needed. Christmas Party Every year at the end of the semester the Production Manager will plan a Christmas party on campus (or at a nearby restaurant) where staff can unwind and take a break from finals. A gift exchange could occur. Spring Retreat Within the first two weeks of the spring semester, the Managing Editor will run a mandatory fall retreat for all staff members. The Managing Editor should let all staff know the date of the retreat before the semester begins if possible. He or she should make sure all newly hired staff members are aware of the date as soon as they are hired. This retreat can be as short as 2-3 hours or as long as a full day, though the spring retreat is typically shorter than the fall retreat. The retreat may be held in The Sandspur office, though it is suggested, if possible, to get the staff together, as a group, outside of the office for at least part of the retreat. The retreat should cover the following topics: *Icebreaker that allows all staff to introduce themselves *A review of The Sandspur’s mission statement and conversation about whether the paper is achieving that statement *Overview/Critique of last semester’s Sandspurs *Individuals can contribute their favorite thing about The Sandspur and their biggest criticism *A small group and/or large group conversation about overall goals for the paper *Small group (divided by department) meetings to determine individual department goals Typically ,these types of discussions may be more in-depth in the spring semester, while the fall semester retreat may contain more conversations about plans for the paper. Additional aspects of the retreat can be added as needed. Senior Send-Off At the end of the spring semester, the rising seniors should plan a goodbye dinner or event for all staff members, but especially graduating seniors who have worked for the paper for the last four years. Typically, this meal includes superlatives, especially for seniors, but possibly for all staff members as well in addition to presenting seniors with their graduation cords.